Striving for Peace Healing from Chronic Disease

     Metamorphosis, tear off the leaves of pain, Arrive at the heart of peace.  

Have you ever eaten an artichoke by preparing the entire bulb, stuffing it with yumminess, then tearing the leaves to get to the prize --the heart? If you haven't yet, you really should. Artichokes are prickly and messy but delicious.  The first person to try one out and actually eat it had to be pretty ambitious and daring.  They look like a weed; a large take charge sort of weed.  

Baltimore 2012

      Like Maryland crabs, they're one of those superb treats that take work. You may prick a finger in preparation or accidentally eat the choke.  (Don't eat the choke, just stick to your prepared stuffing and the heart!)  What does this unforgiving yet tasty vegetable have to do with peace and metamorphosis you ask? rheumatoid arthritis a crap diagnosis and a crap disease.  My immune system attacks my joints.  My own body inflicts horrific pain upon itself --Quite the mind boggle.

 Well, everything to me.  I have

     After being diagnosed in 2004, I hit the road of prescription drugs and hit it hard.  Go to the doctor and get well, that's how I always did it before.  Six years on this road, my enthusiasm for taking whatever my rheumatologist prescribed hit quite a few egregious pot holes --osteopenia, elevated liver enzymes, and considerable weight gain.  Ouch! Fear set in.  When I would sit down to shoot my thigh with methotrexate which was never an issue, I would get nauseous and the prick hurt about fifty times worse than it ever had before.  The drugs offered relief from the pain, but they also always seemed to fizzle and the pain would come back after several months subdued.  In turn, I began to explore other options.

    Thanks to my older sister, I found Pan Gu Shengong (PGSG) during this period of fear.  I learned the moving form and practiced every day.  I saw an acupuncturist and a PGSG healer regularly and my pain began to decrease.  With my acupuncturist's and healer's help, and my dedicated PGSG practice I was also able to ween myself from the drugs that were causing the alarming side effects.

pangu.org

    Nothing has been easy about my path to good health.  PGSG healing energy gets to the root of a disease.  So for me, I have had to face my anxiety and depression ... each leaves of pain.  Pain from childhood abuse, grief from a loved one passing twenty seven years ago that I never fully dealt with, pain from an emotionally unavailable parent, and another who took a complete break from parenting for about twenty years.  Some of these hurts have more than one leaf, so I deal with it .... tear it away ....and it pops up again as I come closer to the heart of peace.  True good health and happiness is worth this process just like the messy and prickly job of getting to a delicious artichoke heart.  Once you are there, you are at peace and have quite a treat ahead --a life free of worry and pain.

My blog shares my metamorphosis with you exploring each leaf while attaining health and happiness.

BTW, here's a delicious recipe for stuffed artichokes click here.  Enjoy!